Beauty In Our Mistakes
by fluffyandkagura
Summary: "You wanted to kiss me... why?" "Because you're beautiful" Arthur calls Ariadne for a job After meeting at a club for drinks, they do somehing that will change their lives forever. Full summary inside. Summary's aren't my strong point, please forgive me!
1. Phone Calls At Eight o'clock

Summary: "This time however, he leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn't the same kind of kiss that they had shared in the lobby, this time it was deeper and more meaningful," Arthur calls Ariadne for a possible job. After meeting at a club for drinks, they do something that will change their lives forever. Rated T for a sexual situation to come, and language throughout.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inception!

A/N- Here's chapter one of what will end up being a 5 chapter story. The idea is a little cliché, but there's a twist coming. Also, I really hope I kept them all in character. I tried my hardest! Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Ariadne sat in her small apartment by herself, stroking her cat gently. The TV was on quietly, and she was watching an old time romance movie, the kind that she loved to indulge in when she was alone. She was also eating a bowl of cereal, a nice midnight snack that wasn't too unhealthy. Her cat shifted on her lap, and finally hopped down. She brushed some of the cat hair off her pajama pants, and turned the volume up on her TV.

"You'll never find anyone as good for you as I am, to believe in you as much as I do or to love you as much." The TV cried.

"I know that."

"Well then why?"

"Do you think if I come back it's going to be okay by magic? What's going to change? What's going to be different? We'll both be wrong, we'll both lose."

"Couldn't we both win?" Ariadne listened as the characters repeated her favorite dialog. She spoke some of the lines quietly under her breath. When it was over, she allowed herself to think about something that she had been trying to forget.

Inception. It had been a month since Inception, and still, every night she sat on the couch, watching this movie. She knew almost all the words now, but still she couldn't allow herself to fall asleep. Sometimes she dozed off during the boring parts, but mostly she couldn't sleep.

On the nights when she finally fell asleep, she had nightmares. They varied, but usually ended up being similar to the events of Inception, and she always died in them. Which woke her up, just as it would have normally.

On other nights, she couldn't fall asleep anyway. Her mind would spin with ideas, with thoughts. She tried to figure out how it worked; the whole idea of Incepting minds. Sometimes she would replay the whole plan in her head, so much so that if she had to do the whole thing again, she knew exactly what would happen, and exactly what she was supposed to be doing.

So there she was, sitting in the dark on her couch, watching her favorite movie, in her pajamas at 8 o'clock. This was what she was doing when the phone rang. She answered it, pausing the movie.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Ariadne." The voice on the other end spoke her name. She immediately recognized the voice as Arthur's, the team's point-man from a lifetime ago. Or so it felt.

"Arthur. Hi, is something wrong?" she asked. She could only think of a handful of reasons that Arthur would call her at 8 in the evening. Most of the scenarios she imagined were bad.

"No, nothing's wrong. We need to talk though. Would you mind meeting me for drinks tomorrow, around 9?" he asked her. She hesitated for a moment.

"Can you tell me why?" she asked. She wanted to know what was happening. There was a brief silence on the other end, and she heard him sigh.

"Cobb has another job for us. We've reassembled the old team. He wanted me to ask you if you'd be interested in being our architect again," he spoke. She thought about it, and argued with herself.

"What's the job about?" she asked him.

"I'd appreciate it if we talked about it tomorrow. I can never be completely sure who else can hear us," he said, giving Ariadne the impression that the conversation was possible being listened to right now. She straightened up; feeling watched even though she knew it was silly.

"Yes, yes I'll come tomorrow," she agreed. He told her where to meet, and they hung up.

Once again, Ariadne knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep. Regardless the job, she had to do some thinking before she decided whether or not she wanted to be involved in another job anyway, whether she could put herself through that again. She decided she would wait and hear what Arthur had to say tomorrow.

* * *

After a boring day of waiting around her apartment, Ariadne got into a taxi, and arrived at the club that Arthur had told her about. When she entered, she saw that the place was very Arthur, classy and elegant, nothing like some of the other clubs that she had been in before. Music played softly, and there were various tables set around the room. The bar was at the back, and a dance floor stood at the front. She smiled at the sight of it, and began to scan the room for Arthur.

He was seated at the bar, in his usual suit, and sipping a glass of wine. She walked over to him, and sat down.

"Hey," she said. He nodded at her.

"It's nice to see you again," he responded, and turned to face her.

"So…this job." She stated, hoping he would explain. He did.

"It's a simple extraction. We need to go in, steal an idea, and come out. This company apparently had an idea for a business expansion that will destroy the city's water supply. A rival company needs to know what it is so they can stop it. Very basic. But it still requires precision. It shouldn't take more than a month." He stated. She sighed.

"I thought Cobb wanted out," she replied. He nodded.

"So did I. He called me and told me about the job. He wouldn't tell me why, he just asked me to get the team back together. It's completely reasonable of you to say no." he told her. Ariadne closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She opened them again, and ordered a drink from the bartender. She turned back to Arthur.

"Before I decide, will you tell me what made you agree to this?" she asked him. If she had to make this decision, she wanted to know at least what appealed about the job to Arthur. He drank the rest of the wine before he began.

"I…didn't have much of a choice. After Inception I didn't have much left, and I thought that Cobb would be done, which meant me being done. So I tried to find other things, but nothing really came up. When Cobb called and said he needed me, I took the opportunity. There's not much else I'm good at besides dreams." He stated, and just then the bartender appeared with Ariadne's drink.

"And you promise this is just an easy, risk-free job?" she asked. He chuckled.

"With dreams, nothing is ever risk free. But I can promise you that this will be significantly easier than Inception," he responded. She nodded.

"Alright then. I guess I'm in." she agreed finally. She missed the old team, and it wasn't like she had much she was doing anyway. Her life was boring now.

"Good. I'll let Cobb know what you've decided" he told her.

The night progressed, and as the alcohol loosened them both up, they were able to talk like old friends, and they laughed with each other. Finally, Ariadne got up her strength to ask the question that had been circling her head since Inception had finished.

"So…the kiss in the lobby," she said simply. He remained silent. She pushed further. "Why'd you ask? Did you really think it would work?" she asked. He smiled and laughed.

"No. I didn't think it would work, I can't believe you thought it would work." He teased her. She shoved him playfully and laughed.

"So then why?" she asked him. He smiled again; she guessed it was more to himself than to her.

"I don't know. I wanted to," he answered. She propped her head up with her hand, supporting her head with her elbow that rested on the table.

"You wanted to kiss me?" she asked, wanting clarification. He nodded slowly. She smiled. "Why?" she continued to press the subject further.

"Because…you're beautiful. And because I wanted to see what it would feel like." He answered. Ariadne smiled even bigger at him. This man was certainly different from the Arthur she knew. This man was fumbling for words, and telling her more than the other Arthur probably ever would have.

"I'm glad that you did," she confessed. He brushed a piece of hair out of her face.

"I am too" he responded. She laughed. The subject was dropped afterward, and they moved apart again (Ariadne still wasn't sure when they had moved so close). They talked some more, and drank some more, and time passed freely. It felt good to be able to talk with Arthur the way that they did.

The kiss wasn't brought up anymore, and it wasn't until Ariadne was drunk enough to start talking about past relationships (how had they gotten on the subject? She couldn't remember) that they were that close again. This time however, he leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn't the same kind of kiss that they had shared in the lobby, this time it was deeper and more meaningful. When they pulled apart, Ariadne felt Arthur's hand wrap around hers, and he led her out of the club where they hailed a cab.

* * *

A/N- AAAND end chapter 1! Bet you all can't guess what they're going to do haha. So I have all of this story written, I'm just waiting to post the next chapter. I hate to be one of those desperate people, but how about 5 reviews for the next update? Remember, they're all written, I just need to upload them! PLEASE review and let me know what you thought because this is the first non-one shot Inception fan fiction I've done!

PS-I'll give a metaphorical cookie and dedication to anyone who can tell what movie the lines at the beginning were from (this is void once chapter 2 is up since it is mentioned it chapter 2)


	2. The Morning After

Summary: "This time however, he leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn't the same kind of kiss that they had shared in the lobby, this time it was deeper and more meaningful," Arthur calls Ariadne for a possible job. After meeting at a club for drinks, they do something that will change their lives forever. Rated T for a sexual situation to come, and language throughout.

Disclaimer: Inception. I do not own it!

A/N : **Dedication/Cookies:**

** Sara **

** Tulzdavampslayer**

**These people all guessed it right! The movie was "The Way We Were", which will be referenced later on in this chapter, which is dedicated to them!**

A/N Part Two- YAY! So this story has gotten an overwhelming response! Okay sorry, I know everyone says that but I've never been able to say it before. It's out of my system now. Sorry! I was originally going to wait a while to post the next chapter but you guys made me so excited! See, it's true what they say. Reviews=faster posting! Okay. Well again, I hope everyone is in character, and I really hope that I don't disappoint you all D: Enjoy!

PS- Xx. Broken Sweet also gets a cookie and dedication. For some reason it wouldn't let me put the name with the others D: But she's also there!

* * *

They drunkenly stumbled into the hotel room that Arthur was staying in, the wine still emanating from their breath with every word they spoke. The door shut, and with the door went the lights as the couple found their way to the bed, where neither of them would remember a thing until morning broke the next day.

The light poured through the window the next morning, waking Ariadne from the sleep that she had been in. It had been the first time since Inception that she had been able to sleep all night. Regrettably, she woke up feeling awful anyway. Her head hurt and her eyes felt like they were being squeezed out of their sockets. When she was finally able to open her eyes, she realized that she had no shirt on. She had no bra on for that matter, which wasn't something that she usually did. Upon rolling over, she saw Arthur awake and fully dressed, sitting in a chair, reading a book. Confused and embarrassed, she rolled away from him, desperate to try and remember last night.

She knew what she thought had happened. She remembered them, together. And it would explain why she was currently in this bed, naked. But what if it had been a dream? What if none of it was real?

She couldn't convince herself of that idea. It all seemed too real. She sighed, gathered the sheets up at her chest so that she was not exposed, and turned again to face Arthur.

"Umm," she let out, unsure of exactly what to say. If it had been real, he surely wasn't as flustered about it as she was. "Arthur…I apologize if this question comes to you as a bit of a surprise, but…last night…we didn't…?" she trailed off here, hoping he would get the point. He looked up and faced her.

"I think that we did, Ariadne." He said. When he spoke her name, she could see the whole thing over again, the whole scene replayed in her head. Moaning, she put her hands over her face and rubbed her eyes.

"Oh God. I…I don't know what to say." She admitted. He was still looking at her, but it was obvious that he didn't know what to say either. She sighed.

"Irregardless of last night, this morning you seem to be significantly less hung over than I am" she stated. He smiled slightly.

"Or I'm just better at hiding it," he said. She sighed.

"Arthur, no disrespect, but I'd kind of like to get up now. And I'm not wearing any clothes." She told him. Her statement didn't faze him the way she thought it might, but he did look just a little embarrassed. He nodded.

"Right. I'll go down and get the paper then," he said, and left the room rather quickly. Ariadne smiled at his hastiness. It wasn't until she heard the door swing shut that she allowed herself to get out of the bed and into the bathroom.

She cleaned up, and found her clothing embarrassingly strewn about the room. After dressing, she surveyed the area. Aside from the mussed up bed, there was no way to tell that anyone had slept there last night. Despite her best efforts, Ariadne could never keep a hotel room clean for more than an hour before her belongings were littered everywhere. Arthur, however, didn't seem to share that particular habit.

The only thing immediately visible to suggest life (not counting the bed) was a small bottle of something that was on the desk by the window. She got up and walked over to it, realizing that it was a bottle of Advil. She laughed and noted that Arthur truly was better at hiding his pain than she. She filled a glass of water and took one of the pills. After doing so, she sat back down on the bed and turned on the TV.

By some miracle, her favorite movie was playing on Hallmark. She turned to that channel and sat back, trying to forget everything but what was on the screen. The door opened just as her favorite part was about to start. Arthur walked in to see Arianne on the bed, completely enthralled by what was on the TV in front of her. He wasn't sure if it she saw him or not, but she began to speak, mimicking the lines of the actress on the screen.

"You'll never find anyone as good for you as I am, to believe in you as much as I do or to love you as much." She said earnestly. The man talked, and then she replied. It went on like that for a little bit. When he was sure she was done, he spoke.

"The Way We Were?" he asked, motioning to the movie. She turned to see face him. He was confident that she hadn't noticed him before because she was quite flustered when she saw him. She calmed when she realized that it was only him.

"Yeah. It's my favorite." She said. He nodded.

"It's a classic," he added, and walked to the closet.

"You've seen it?" she called.

"Yes. Once, a while ago. I can't remember much, but I remember liking it." He told her. He walked back into her view carrying a suitcase and a silver briefcase.

"I don't mean to rush you, but we have to meet Cobb and the rest of the team today. We're all gathering at the same old warehouse. We should probably leave now," he told her. She nodded, and flipped off the TV. The only thing that belonged to her was the purse, which was sitting on a chair, and after she collected that, they left. They walked to his car, which was sitting in the garage. They got in, and he drove out of the parking lot.

"Do you want to stop and get breakfast?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"I'm not particularly hungry," she said. A smile played across his face.

"Neither am I." he agreed, and they settled into a comfortable silence. The warehouse was about an hour away from the hotel that they were staying in now. It hadn't been twenty minutes before Ariadne broke the silence.

"I feel like we should talk about this." She said simply. He nodded. When he didn't say anything, she spoke again. "If we work it out now, it won't be awkward at the warehouse." Silence. "So…what do you feel about it?" she asked him, finally putting the ball in his court. He was still silent for a few seconds, and then spoke.

"Ariadne, I see it like this. We are two friends who just happened to drink too much last night. We did a stupid thing, and it was an accident. I don't think we need to feel awkward about it," he answered her. His answer was blunt, but it left little room for questions. She nodded.

"You're probably right. And we don't need to tell anyone." She added.

"No. We should definitely not tell anyone." He added. She nodded. After a few more minutes of silence, they began to talk about the job at hand, and started brainstorming ideas to bring up when they saw the rest of the team.

* * *

They walked into the warehouse, the whole thing feeling so familiar. Ariadne allowed herself to smile when she saw Cobb and Eames sitting at a table talking. She walked into the room and felt more at home than she had in a long time.

"Cobb," Arthur called, alerting the attention of the man in front of them. His head shot up, and he smiled.

"Hey guys," he said and walked over to them. He caught Ariadne in a hug, and shook Arthur's hand. Eames walked over and also hugged Ariadne.

"Hello Arthur," he said, his accent making Ariadne smile.

"Eames," Arthur greeted, not even bothering with the hello. The four of them walked back over to the table.

"Yusef isn't here yet. He called and told me he'd be late," Cobb stated. With little hesitation, the team began to talk about the job at hand, diving into the world of dreams once again.

* * *

A/N- There you have it folks! Not quite the same cliff hanger we left off on last time, but I can promise you that the twist is coming up in the next chapter. Let's say 20 revies to the next update? I feel greedy…but we'll see what happens. Thank you all for reading! You're amazing!


	3. A Twist In The Story

Summary: "This time however, he leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn't the same kind of kiss that they had shared in the lobby, this time it was deeper and more meaningful," Arthur calls Ariadne for a possible job. After meeting at a club for drinks, they do something that will change their lives forever. Rated T for a sexual situation, and language throughout.

Disclaimer: There is Inception. And there is me. I am not any way affiliated with Inception except that I write weird stuff about it. Long story short-I DO NOT OWN INCEPTION!

A/N- So a lot of you guessed at the twist haha. I can't tell you if you were right or wrong but I appreciate how much you guys seem to be enjoying this! I'm glad that you are, it makes me really happy :D So once again, I apologize if any characters are out of character.

* * *

They slept at the warehouse again, just like they had when they were planning Inception. But whereas Inception had taken months to plan, this job took only two weeks. The part that would take a while would be waiting for the mark to arrive at the hotel that they were planning on infiltrating him in. The plan was to wait until the mark was asleep, and then convince hotel security that he was in danger, allowing them access to the room. Then, Yusef would give the mark a small dose of the sedative; just enough to ensure that he wouldn't wake up. Arthur wouldn't be following them into the dream, instead he would stay in the hotel room to make sure no one interrupted them.

The team spend the time before the mark arrived reviewing the plan and working out the finer details. They talked a good bit about life in general, something that they hadn't really been able to do during Inception.

It was a fun two weeks, regardless of the stress of the job. Everyone was having a good time, even Arthur was enjoying himself despite Eames. It wasn't until three weeks after arriving (one week until the mark was coming) that Arthur noticed Ariadne seemed to be acting differently. She seemed worried about something, and very rarely joined in the conversations of the others. She mainly kept to herself, and didn't talk unless someone asked her something.

It was a late night, and Eames, Cobb and Yusef had decided to go out for a night of drinking. Arthur and Ariadne had decided to stay at the warehouse. It was about three days before it would be time to move. There wasn't much left to do but Arthur still read over everything that they knew, going over the plan again and again. Ariadne sat against one of the walls, reading a book quietly to herself. They were both quiet and minded their own business until Arthur heard a small gasp from the corner. He turned to see if everything was alright, and saw Ariadne crying quietly. She rubbed her eyes and tried to regain composer, but every time she seemed to get a hold of herself, she began to cry again. Arthur stood up and walked over to her. He sat down next to her.

"Ariadne is everything alright?" he asked her.

"Yeah, it's just something sad in the book," she choked out.

"Are you sure? You've been acting a little…uneasy lately. If something's bothering you, you should get it out. You don't want to bring anything into the dream," he said. She closed the book and looked at him.

"Is that all you can think about Arthur? The dream? God, can't you think about something else for five seconds?" she cried. Arthur was taken aback. He watched her break down again, fresh tears falling. She shook slightly and took a breath before she spoke.

"I'm pregnant," she said quietly. His eyes widened and he swallowed.

"Are…are you sure?" he asked her. She nodded.

"I'm late...and the test was positive," she whispered. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "God Arthur, what are we going to do?" she asked him through her tears. Ariadne was clearly shook up. Arthur couldn't find words to speak, and he had to remind himself to breath.

"We…I don't know." was all he could say. Her sobs, which she had worked so hard to keep quiet, erupted suddenly, and she couldn't quiet them now. Arthur wrapped his hands around her and tried to calm her.

"It's okay. We'll figure it out, we'll be alright," he comforted. They sat for a while together, until Ariadne announced that she was tired, and went to her bed. Arthur walked in daze back to the desk that he had been sitting at. He sat down and rested his head in his hands. What_** would **_they do? God knew he wasn't ready to be a father yet. What could they do? Arthur couldn't abandon her now, that wouldn't even be an option. He sighed and decided that they would talk about it later, after the job. He sighed and stood up, deciding to go to bed.

* * *

The days passed slowly and before anyone knew it, it was time to make their move. The mark, a CEO of the company, would be staying at one of the hotels. They had payed one of the hotel workers to let them into the room he would be staying. They set up cameras in inconspicuous places and they all hid out in a suite that they had booked for the night. Arthur accessed the cameras through his computer and while the other members of the team discussed the plan one more time, Arthur religiously watched the computer screen. Once the mark was asleep deeply enough for them to work, they began. Cobb went downstairs to bribe the front desk that he was a member of a secret service and they believed that their mark was in danger. He told him that he wanted the whole thing very low profile, and requested simply a key for him and his team to enter and ensure the mark's safety. After some persuading, the man gave him a key. The team entered into the room quietly and prayed that the mark wouldn't wake.

Immediately, Yusef gave the sedative to the mark, and within seconds it was obvious that he wasn't waking anytime soon. The members, save Arthur, hooked themselves up to the machine and began to drift. Arthur set ten minutes on the clock. Ten minutes on the in the real world would give them 2 hours in the dream world which seemed like plenty.

They had entered Ariadne's dream. They had designed the level to look just like the building in which their mark worked, so he would feel comfortable. Eames had made himself look like one of the mark's most trusted colleagues. He would confront the mark and bring up the plans. Talking about the plans would put them in the subconscious of the mark, and the brain would fill the safe that they had already located with the information. It was a simple job that shouldn't take more than the 2 hours that they had allowed themselves.

Arthur sat alone in the hotel room. The others slept peacefully next to him and he sat awake, alert and ready to wake them if needed. He didn't expect a problem to arise.

But it seemed clear, with the sound of the door opening, that a problem had come anyway. A few men entered through the door, and Arthur stood up.

"Good evening," one of the men said.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Arthur asked as innocently as he could.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. You can tell us what the hell you think you're trying to pull here," the same man answered.

"I'm sorry, we're just trying to protect this man," Arthur motioned to the mark. The man smiled.

"By extracting all his information? Sounds pretty much like bullshit to me. Now you're going to tell me what you're doing with this man, or" he paused here and pulled a gun out of his coat. "I'll shoot all your friends here," the man said. Arthur's mind raced, thinking everything from ways to grab the gun to Ariadne lying on the bed. He put his hands up, trying to calm the man. But in one quick movement, he knocked the gun out of the man's hand and punched him in the face. He pulled his own gun out as the man stood up, and dodged a punch to the head. He came back with another punch and was immediately was ambushed with fists from the other men in the room. The fight raged on until Arthur was able to push all the bodies off the bed in hope to wake them up. He succeeded in knocking out one of the men and continued to try and fend off the other two. He was aware of most of the team waking up. Cobb was up first, and punched one of the men out of the way of the others. Soon, all of them were up except Ariadne. Cobb and Eames were fighting the men while Yusef did his best to protect the mark. Ariadne still lay asleep , hooked to the machine. Arthur tried to get her wake up, using every technique he knew, but still nothing worked. The time ran out on the machine finally, and her eyes fluttered open. She groped for his hand and when she found it she called his name.

"Arthur," she said. He thought maybe she was trying to say something but in a flash he heard a gun fire. He wasn't sure who had fired it or who it was aimed at, but he tried to move both of them away as quickly as he could now that guns were involved. He moved her to the safest position so that she could wake up, and then stood up, firing his own gun and killing the last man.

"What the hell was that?" Cobb cried.

"I don't know. We were ambushed," Arthur explained what happened. Cobb cursed under his breath.

"Is everyone alright?" He asked. All answered back, and Arthur turned to spot Ariadne. She was still lying on the ground, but she had a hand on her stomach. He ran over to her and lifted her up gently.

"Ariadne?" he called. She didn't speak, but gasped for breath. He gently removed her hand from over her stomach and saw a hole, surrounded by blood.

"She's been shot" he called. His voice broke, panic obvious in his tone.

"Shit," Cobb cussed, and they all ran to her. Arthur picked her up they all ran to the car. It was a short drive to the hospital, but it was a stress filled one to say the least. It wasn't really decided who would stay with Ariadne because Arthur seemed to take charge of the girl. No one said anything about it. He rode in the back with her, holding her hand and stroking her cheek.

"It's okay; you're going to be alright. You're going to be fine," he couldn't think of any better words of comfort for her. She didn't talk but she continued to rub his hand and squeeze occasionally.

"Hold on Ariadne, we're almost there," Eames called from the passenger seat.

"Please hold on. Come on, you're fine. It's okay," Arthur kept repeating the words over and over again, hoping they would be enough.

* * *

A/N- DundundunDUN! Haha. My only complaint about this chapter is (and I do apologize for this) I think it moved really fast. I'm super horrible at drawing things out so I just kind of dived into it. But apart from that I really like this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it to! Thanks for reviewing! 26 reviews right now…is 35 too much to ask? Haha probably, but again, we'll see. Thank you all again!


	4. Consequences

Summary: "This time however, he leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn't the same kind of kiss that they had shared in the lobby, this time it was deeper and more meaningful," Arthur calls Ariadne for a possible job. After meeting at a club for drinks, they do something that will change their lives forever. Rated T for a sexual situation, and language throughout.

Disclaimer: I can haz Inception? Cause I don't own it!

A/N- So I'm pretty sure that all of you guys are going to hate me now. Like 99 percent. BUT you have to remember that this story was finished before it had ever been posted so I couldn't take your guy's request into consideration. But maybe I'll do something else for you all. Maybe. We'll have to see what summer permits! Okay, so again, sorry if they are out of character!

* * *

Ariadne woke up in an unfamiliar room. The walls were white and she was aware of a dull ache in her stomach. She tried to remember what happened, and when she heard the beeping of the heart monitor, she remembered the fight. She had only been awake for a few seconds of it, and she remembered a pain that she had felt. She could hear Arthur's voice in her memory, and could almost feel his hand on her cheek. She realized that she must have been in a hospital. She turned around to see Arthur asleep in a chair. She was shocked to see him there, unaware of what had happened to her.

"Arthur?" she called. He stirred slightly and finally woke. When he realized that she was awake and able to speak, he stood up and walked to her bed.

"Ariadne, thank God. Are you alright? Do you need anything?" he asked her. Ariadne had never seen Arthur look so unsure of everything. He was always so calm, but right now, worry lined his face.

"What happened to me?" she asked him. She felt him take her hand again.

"You were shot. In the stomach." He answered. She took a breath.

"What happened? Why were we ambushed?" she asked. He shook his head.

"I'm still not sure. Somehow, the mark had security we weren't aware of. They caught on to us and didn't want us to get a hold of any of the information they had. They obviously knew what we were doing." He said. She nodded slowly. She closed her eyes and opened them with a sigh.

"Did…the baby make it?" she asked him. She felt him grip her hand tighter.

"You should go to sleep. You need to rest," he told her.

"Goddamnit Arthur! Tell me if our child is alive." She demanded. He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head.

"No. No, we lost the baby. It was the reason that you lived." He said. She drew in a sharp breath and tears started to fall from her eyes. The situation seemed familiar and Arthur once again held her as she cried. He kissed her head and hands, trying to calm her. Finally her tears subsided. Arthur still held her close.

"Do the others know?" she asked. He stroked her head.

"I don't know what the doctor's told them. I've been here the whole time," he told her.

"Arthur…I know this is stupid. But when I knew I was pregnant, I kept on having these dreams. Real dreams. About us, together. We had the baby and we lived together. It's crazy but I felt so happy." She said. She was slightly groggy from the medicine but her words were true.

"It sounds wonderful." He said. They sat quietly, both taking comfort in the others presence.

"Arthur?" she called his name again.

"Hmm?" he answered.

"I don't want this to be the end of…us. I want to stay with you." She said slowly. He kissed her cheek.

"We can talk about it when you're better." He said. She nodded, and fell asleep. The doctor came in a few hours later and told him that visiting hours were over. He nodded and silently left the room.

* * *

Cobb and the others were waiting for Arthur in the waiting room. He came out and they all stood up, waiting for him to make his way over to them.

"Is she alright?" Cobb asked. Arthur nodded.

"She's fine. A little shook up, but she'll be alright." He told them.

"Thank God," Eames stated. They told him that Yusef had left a while ago to take a flight back to his hometown, but the other two had stayed. Eames had stated that he truly had nothing else to do, and nowhere else he'd rather be. Cobb told Arthur that there was no way he could have left her.

"If we can't see her tonight why don't we go out and get a bite?" Eames said, as usual trying to lighten the mood.

They drove through the streets, looking for a restaurant that wasn't closed. They came upon a club that seemed decent enough, and went in. They sat down, and after ordering some food, they began to talk.

"Apparently our mark had made a last minute decision to add some security. He had told the hotel manager to alert those three men if anything suspicious happened. Apparently they were already expecting some sort of an ambush. When we told them we believed there was danger they told them men. They knew what extraction looked like when they saw it, so they must have known what we were trying to do." Cobb explained. He had made a few calls since Ariadne had been admitted.

"Hey, cheer up mate. She's alive and fine. Despite a few months of recovery she'll be back to normal soon." Eames told Arthur, seeing the sullen look on his face. Arthur tried to smile but it mustn't have looked very convincing.

"What's wrong Arthur?" Cobb asked. He debated with himself whether or not to tell them about the baby. He figured that it would be best if they knew so that when they saw Ariadne, they would know why she was so incredibly sad.

"You all have to promise me that you won't tell Ariadne what I'm going to tell you until I tell you…that you can." Arthur said, trying to find the right words. They both nodded, and Arthur spoke.

"Ariadne was pregnant. The baby didn't make it," he said slowly. They both sighed.

"God," Eames whispered. "She told you that? I mean, you knew she was pregnant?" he asked. It occurred to Arthur that he had left out the part of the story where he was the father.

"Yes. She had already told me." He answered. None of them said anything for a while.

"Should we call her boyfriend?" Eames asked. They both looked at him.

"What? It's a good question. I'd like to know if my girlfriend was shot and our baby died thank you very much." Eames stated and took a swig of his beer.

"I don't think she had a boyfriend, Eames," Cobb stated. Cobb had been looking at Arthur the whole time, and Arthur became aware of the fact that he had, without speaking, told Cobb what he hadn't told anyone else yet.

"Then who the bloody hell do you think the father is?" Eames asked, obviously aware that he was out of the loop on something. Arthur continued to look down, and Cobb continued to look at Arthur, neither of them speaking. Eames's eyes grew wide in realization.

"You mean…he…well that's bloody brilliant isn't it?" he finally said. Cobb put a hand over Arthur's.

"I'm sorry Arthur. This can't be easy for you," he said, and removed his hand. Arthur ran his own hand through his hair.

"It's not. I think Ariadne is taking it a little harder but…God. It's…it's hard," He admitted and took a drink.

"Hold on now mate, if it is your kid, then does that make you and Ariadne…together?" Eames asked. Cobb sighed. Leave it to Eames to ask about relationships at a moment like this.

"It was a one night…thing. We hadn't planned on bringing it up again until she told me. We hadn't made a decision or anything. But now…God, I don't think I could stand to leave her," He said. Cobb marveled at how un-Arthur this man in front of him was acting. So unsure of anything.

"It's not a crime you know. If you love her…than you can tell her that." Cobb stated.

"Yeah, besides, don't you think a girl like Ariadne deserves to know how you really feel about her?" Eames added. Arthur sighed and finished the rest of the beer that was in front of him.

* * *

A/N- So yeah. Do you hate me now? You probably do. Let me explain. If the baby had lived then they would have had to decide what to do and it would almost be like they were forced together. But with the baby gone, they have a choice to say, "Okay, thanks, it was great and all, but see ya!". Now they have a choice. We already know what Ariadne's choice is. But you're going to have to wait and see what Arthur's choice will be! You can, of course, review with your hopes/ideas but like I said, the story is already written. But please review either way because they make me know that I don't completely fail. 42 reviews, let's try for…50? Gah that seems like a lot. Please review!

PS- I was kinda in a hurry when I uploaded this so sorry for any grammar/spelling errors!


	5. Arthur's Choice and Epilogue

Summary: "This time however, he leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn't the same kind of kiss that they had shared in the lobby, this time it was deeper and more meaningful," Arthur calls Ariadne for a possible job. After meeting at a club for drinks, they do something that will change their lives forever. Rated T for a sexual situation, and language throughout.

Disclaimer: For the last time- I do NOT own Inception!

A/N-Thank you all so much! The response that this story has gotten had been just amazing! I ask for 50 reviews worried that you all were going to be like, "That's too much!" and here I get 64! Thankyouthankyouthankyou! The most common criticism I received was that it was really rushed. So I edited this last chapter to describe things hopefully better and in more detail. Let me know how I did!

* * *

They booked a room at a motel. They couldn't go back to the hotel now. Arthur and Cobb each took a bed and Eames slept on a cot. Arthur couldn't fall asleep that night. Cobb was right. If he loved Ariadne, he should tell her. All he could think about was her, alone in the hospital room, empty. Empty in so many ways. He wanted to be with her, to hold her again like he had before. He wanted to kiss her again, to feel her lips and taste her once more. He felt more connected to her than he had ever felt to another person before. He needed her.

Before the night he had met with her, Ariadne had been just a thought. A thought that had haunted him like a ghost. He was always thinking of her, always wondering what she was doing, and how she felt. More than once he had thought of checking up on her, but something had always stopped him.

The baby had made Arthur think about Ariadne in a different light. Of course he was attracted to her, and it was obvious that he wanted to be in a relationship with her. But a baby complicated all of it. He had to think about her as more than a relationship. He had to think about her in the terms of a life together. He had realized, in the few days that she had been pregnant, that he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life with her.

It wasn't like Arthur to be irrational. He was a very sensible man, and very gentlemanly. He was hardly one to fall completely in love with someone and be swept off his feet. In fact, as a point man, it was part of his job to make sure his feet were planted firmly on the ground. But Ariadne had done just that to him. She had carried him away without really doing anything. He was amazed at how much he loved her in the small amount of time they'd known each other. Being away from her wasn't a choice…it was a necessity.

The next morning, he wasted no time at all in getting to the hospital. Eames and Cobb had stayed behind and told him that they would come a little bit later. He drove alone to the hospital, thinking only of her.

He parked the car and walked the distance to the hospital. The air outside was crisp and cold, and it cleared his head. He loved to walk, it calmed him. And right now, he could use some calming. When he finally arrived at the entrance, he pulled the door and walked into the main lobby. It was a big room, open and relatively cheery considering what it actually was. To the right of him was a desk, and past that desk a hallway leading to various other wings of the hospital

To his left, there was one staircase that looked as though it was a staff-use only, and a gift shop. He glanced through the window of the shop momentarily. It was incredibly bright and pleasant. Flowers littered the room, some in pots and some in wrapping. Stuffed animals donned every shelf and some even stood on the checkout counter. Other knick-knacks were placed randomly around the room, and it seemed as though the gift shop was trying to be its own novelty store. He stopped in and bought her a bouquet of flowers, meanwhile marveling at the amount of glitter that was on most of the fake flowers and cards.

After he had purchased the flowers, he checked in at the desk. They told him he could go through, and he began to walk into the hallway. The hospital was busier today than it had been on the first night that Ariadne had been checked in. Doctors and nurses wandered up and down the halls. There were never more than two of them in the hall at once, but their presence was constant. Sometimes a couple would walk up or down also, going to visit a loved one in the hospital. Arthur felt strangely out of place in the long hallway full of people. He was the only person alone.

Finally, he came to the same corridor that she had been in before. This hallway was less busy. This was the Intensive Care unit, and most people here were in a condition that wasn't very nice to see. People in IU typically got less visitors because of that fact.

He walked into the hospital room that she was in, and saw that she was still sleeping. He kissed her forehead softly before walking to the same chair that he had been in last night. This time however, he had brought a book to read while he waited for her to wake up. Before he started to read, however, he observed the hospital room around him. The walls were white, as hospital walls so often are. The hospital staff didn't bother with decorations in this wing of the hospital. Most of the people in it weren't really well enough to appreciate it. The only color in her room was the flowers he had bought and the blue cotton blanket that was on her bed. He felt that it was unfair that Ariadne had to be here. She wasn't dying, she wasn't in a comma. He figured it was because her injury was a major one, despite how blessedly quick she had been able to recover, and also because of the baby. It still felt unnecessary, to Arthur, to put her in a room that was so empty, when she herself felt so empty already.

She didn't wake up until the nurse came in with some breakfast for her, and she had kindly brought in a plate for Arthur. Ariadne ate little of her food, and when she was done, Arthur took the tray away and sat with her again. He could tell that she was still unaware of where they stood because she waited until he took her hand, and didn't cuddle up next to him until he had wrapped his arms around her.

"The flowers are beautiful. Thank you Arthur," she spoke quietly. He kissed the top of her head.

"You're welcome. It was the least I could do. How are you feeling this morning?" he asked her. He could tell that she was feeling more herself, the spark in her eye was returning.

"Better. It still hurts," she said. Arthur wasn't sure if she was referring her stomach, or what had used to be inside it. He figured she had meant both.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could have stopped this from happening." He said. She sighed.

"You did everything right Arthur. No one's at fault here. Sometimes things don't work out." She said. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few more minutes before he spoke again.

"Do you remember what you said last night?" he asked. "About wanting to stay with me?" She nodded. "Do you still want that?" he asked her. She looked up at him.

"It's probably stupid. But yes. I…I want to stay with you." She said. He kissed her on the lips this time, and he could feel her smile.

"I love you Ariadne. You deserve to know that. And there is nothing more I would want then for you to stay with me" He told her. She squeezed his hand.

"I love you too Arthur." She replied. The medicine was taking affect, and she drifted to sleep in his arms.

* * *

He visited her every day for a week until she was allowed to go home. They stayed at a different hotel for a few nights in order to stay close to the hospital just in case Ariadne relapsed. They spent that time getting to know each other better than they had before. They shared secrets and talked like old friends, this time without the help of any alcohol. The finally decided that they would move into Ariadne's apartment back in Paris. She could finish going to school, and he could pick up odd jobs on the side. They moved in a week later. It was what they both wanted, and being together was all that they needed. Sometimes that reminisced over the situations that had brought them together.

They lived together for a year before Arthur proposed to her. After wedding, they moved into a small house, and it wasn't too long before Ariadne was pregnant once again. This time, the pregnancy went without any problems, and it wasn't long before Ariadne and Arthur had a baby boy of their own.

Who knew what the future held. Right now they were happy, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

A/n- AWW! That's the end….D: I hope that you all enjoyed the story. I can't ask for a certain amount of reviews because the story's over. But please let me know if this chapter was less rushed than the rest. And as you know, reviews help me write faster! And I have a possible idea for a sequel in which Arthur and Ariadne have kids! Reviews help me, so please do! And thank you to all of you who have kept up with the story for a long time, you don't know how much it means to me you guys :D

PS- The last few paragraphs were purposefully vague and a little empty because of the possible (okay, maybe I've already started it) sequel. It's kind of an Epilogue/Intro to the next story. Hope I can finish it soon!


	6. Author's Note and Sequel Info

A/N- Sequel update information! I'm currently working on one, but I don't want to upload anything else until it's done because then I'll never finish it lol. So it will be mulit-chapter, and will involve the children. It's not going to be as much of an actual story as this story was however. Every chapter is going to have a flashback to a different point from A/A's relationship since this story. I'm not going to tell you how though 0.0 Gotta keep you in a little suspense! So please 1.) Review with any things that you would like to see a flashback to, wedding is already done, and these can be things like just a moment that got caught in a picture, like Ariadne is just her underwear, then I'd to a flashback to when that picture was taken. THIS is why the ending was purposefully vague and 2.) Please read other stories that I've written if you get bored and review those too! I have a few other Inception fics, and a couple Star Trek fics if anyone's interested! Thank you all for being amazing!

PS- OHOHOHOHO I haven't posted this in an author's note yet, and I really should have! DFTBA! Any fellow nerdfighters please give me a shout out in a review!


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